Process of electrodepositing antimony.



' No; 792,307. PATENTED JUNE113, 1905.

A. G. BBT'I'S. PROCESS OF BLEGTRODEPOSITING ANITIMONY.

APLIOATIOH FILED MAY 20, 1904.

IUVE'ITIBR U ITE STATES Patented an... 13, 1905.

PA'IIIENT OFFICE.-

PROGEdS- 0 ELECTRODEIPOSITING uTmoNY.

SPECIFICATION'fwming part of Letters Patent No. 792,307, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed Kay 20, 1904. Serial No. 208,944.

A To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anson GARDNER Bn'rrs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of Rensselacr, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Processes of Electrodepositing Antimony, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

Figure 1 is a view in vertical cross-sectionin which I show apparatus arranged for the deposition of antimony from a fluorid solution with an insoluble anode. Fig. 2 shows in vertical cross-section apparatus arranged for =tion is desirable.

the deposition of antimony, using an antimony anode.

My invention; consists, partly, in elec'tro-' depositing antimony fromsolutions contain-.

'ing antimony trifluorid, using eithen'antimony anodes or insoluble anodes. .Antimony trifluorid differs from theordinary antimony salts in not being decomposed by water intoinsoluble basic antimony compounds and free acid, so that a depositing solution can be prepared which is only slightly acid. The presence of large quantities of free acids, especially halogen acids, is not desir able.

. The fluorid solution has the advantage that if an insoluble anode is used oxygen gas is there given ,ofl" and hydrofluoric acid formed,

I which remains in solution. Hydrofluoric acid is a good solvent for antimony oxids and basic compounds, so that the solution after electrolysis with an insoluble anode is in snitable condition for dissolving fresh amounts of basic antimony compounds from which it is desired to prepare metallic antimony.

I prefer to have the electrolytic bath contain in addition to antimony trifluorid salts of metals which will not deposit on the cathodes with antimony. The alkali sulfates and fluorids are most suitable. In case an antimony anode is being used in the electrolysis alllmline chlorids may be used with 'good resu ts.

The presence of sulfuric. acid in the solu- A suitable solution contains eight per cent. SbFa, two per cent. NazSO4, and fourIper cent. H2804. A current density of ten amperes per square foot gives a. good again to the trivalent form.

deposit of antimony when the solution is purethat is, free from metals which would deposit with the antimony. By electrolyzing such a solution with an insoluble anode such I a solution can be largely deprived of antimony, oxygen escaping at'the anode and leaving a solution containing hydrofluoric acid.

Lead makes the most suitable insoluble anode, which should consist of lead rods to which free access of solution should be prevented by a layer of porous material, preferably by a few layers of cloth surrounding each rod. The antimony has a tendencyto become oxidized to the pentavalent form at the anode, in which form it has a dissolving action on the metal of the cathode, being there reduced If the cloth is absent, enough oxidation of the antimony inthe solution may occur to reduce the actual yield of metal deposited at the cathode to sixty per cent. of what should be theoretically obtained by the amount of electricity passed, while with anodes wrapped in cloth the yield rises to from ninety to ninety-five per cent.

. The anode area should not be over half of the cathode area, because with the higher anode current density the formation of pentavalentantimony compounds is reduced. The voltage'required, using insoluble anodes, is usually from 2.5 to three volts.

By the term sulfate I mean to include sulfuric acid, as it-is a sulfate of hydrogen.

Having reference the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows in vertical cross-section a tank 1, containing the antimony solution 2, cathodes 3, on which antimony .4 has been deposited, and anodes of lead 5, surroundedby cloth 5.- Fig. 2'shows in vertical cross-section a tank 7, containing the anti-. mony solution 8, in. which is suspended an antimony anode 9, partly dissolved byelectrolysis, while a corresponding amount of purified antimony has been deposited on the cathode 10.

What I claim as new, and by'Letters Patent, is- I 1.,The process of e1ectrodepositing=anti-. mony which consists in electrolyzing-a solution desire to secure containing antimony trifluorid with a suitable cathode.

"Disclaimer in .Let ters- Patent No, 792,307.

solution. containing antimony January/v80, r

Jnony whichconsists in electrolyzing a solution containing antimony trifluorid with an insol u- 2. The process of electrodepositing antimony which consists in electrolyzing a solution containingantimony trifl'uorid and a sulfate with a suitable cathode.

3. The process-of electrodepositing antible anode' and with a suitable cathode.

4. The process of electrodepositing antii'nony which consists in electrolyzing a solution anode and with a suitable cathode 5. The 'process of electrodepositing antimony which consists in electrolyzinga solution containing antimony trifluorid with a lead-\ anode and with a suitable" cathode, and p'reventing free circulation of the entire solution to the anode by means of a layer of porous j material. v

6. The process ofelectrodepositing antimony which consists in electrolyzing a solution containing antimony trifluorid with an insoluble anode having an ele'ctroly-zi'ng-surface con- V siderably smaller than the cathode-surface,

and with a suitable cathode. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my nam to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses. N

i AN SON GARDNER BET'IS.

Witnesses: v I

EDWARD FQKERN, WILLIAM VALENTINE.

DISCLAIMER.

792,3( )7.Anaon Gardner Betta; Troy, N PRocEss'oF ELEdTaonnrosm'nIe AN'IIlKONY- Patent dated June-l3, 1905.- Disclaimer filed January 24, 1906, by the patentee.

Enters his disclaimer- To claim- No. 1, which reads as follows, to wit: a

1. The process of electrodepositing antimony which consists in .electroly'zing a --triflnorid with a suitable cathode.-[Ofiim'al Gazette "Disclaimer in .Let ters- Patent No, 792,307.

solution. containing antimony January/v80, r

Jnony whichconsists in electrolyzing a solution containing antimony trifluorid with an insol u- 2. The process of electrodepositing antimony which consists in electrolyzing a solution containingantimony trifl'uorid and a sulfate with a suitable cathode.

3. The process-of electrodepositing antible anode' and with a suitable cathode.

4. The process of electrodepositing antii'nony which consists in electrolyzing a solution anode and with a suitable cathode 5. The 'process of electrodepositing antimony which consists in electrolyzinga solution containing antimony trifluorid with a lead-\ anode and with a suitable" cathode, and p'reventing free circulation of the entire solution to the anode by means of a layer of porous j material. v

6. The process ofelectrodepositing antimony which consists in electrolyzing a solution containing antimony trifluorid with an insoluble anode having an ele'ctroly-zi'ng-surface con- V siderably smaller than the cathode-surface,

and with a suitable cathode. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my nam to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses. N

i AN SON GARDNER BET'IS.

Witnesses: v I

EDWARD FQKERN, WILLIAM VALENTINE.

DISCLAIMER.

792,3( )7.Anaon Gardner Betta; Troy, N PRocEss'oF ELEdTaonnrosm'nIe AN'IIlKONY- Patent dated June-l3, 1905.- Disclaimer filed January 24, 1906, by the patentee.

Enters his disclaimer- To claim- No. 1, which reads as follows, to wit: a

1. The process of electrodepositing antimony which consists in .electroly'zing a --triflnorid with a suitable cathode.-[Ofiim'al Gazette 

